Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Trip Reports

Tells Us About Your Latest Trip!

Author

Big Trad Thong.

mikllaw

18-May-2011
9:50:49 AM

On 17/05/2011 crazyjohn wrote:
>Hey about big trad thong. Thanks for the beta! I was kind of sticking
>up for the route because it has a killer name! I was hoping to climb it
>but after seeing those photos... Well... They pretty much tell the story.
>LAME.

I think the jury is still out on this, there have been 5 ascents who thought it was good (unless you're a short second on the roof) and one that didn't. A lot of it to do with what you're used to, I find Bungonia rock terrifying and probably won't go back for another 20 years, but trust blueys rock and didn't pull any holds off.

crazyjohn

18-May-2011
11:49:58 AM

On 17/05/2011 nmonteith wrote:
>You should solo it crazyjohn!

you must not like me much. :)


nmonteith

18-May-2011
12:10:47 PM

I feel I've been a bit routinely disappointed with big trad routes in Australia in the last few years. I didn't think much of Chimes of Freedom - mossy, chossy and wet. I guess I'm comparing them to immaculate granite and sandstone climbs I've done in the USA or limestone perfection at places like Verdon in France. Big killer lines with quality rock from start to finish. There are so many of them in the USA!

If I had traveled across the globe to do one of the the very best long routes in Australia (implied by the 5 star rating) - I would be pretty disappointed with Big Trad Thong. I honestly think that the Fisher Towers has better rock for the most part (if you don't know where that is google it!).

I always think you start out with 5 stars - and then you start deducting for problems. Bad rock for long sections should at least count for a one star deduction.


ajfclark

18-May-2011
12:20:25 PM

I would've thought you'd start with zero and add them ;-)

one for undergrading
one for exposure
one for good climbing


nmonteith

18-May-2011
12:22:09 PM

On 18/05/2011 ajfclark wrote:
>I would've thought you'd start with zero and add them ;-)

Glass half full or glass half empty! I always start out very optimistic...

I just think a bit of truth in advertising needs to be applied. If it got 3/5 stars and the description mentioned that there was large sections of choss then it would be ok.


rodw

18-May-2011
12:58:36 PM

On 18/05/2011 nmonteith wrote:
>truth in advertising needs to be applied.???

Hmmm yeah that happens........Dont you work in advertising?

dfinnecy

18-May-2011
4:08:50 PM

The Rostrum it ain't. I wouldn't call it 5 stars, 3 seems about right to me. But 3 is still pretty good in my book. It's an accessible 'adventure' route with a few very good sections. A middling climber (me) can get on this route and have a good day on challenging terrain with some objective hazards which you don't often get to deal with on non-death routes.

It is about expectations, and suitors should know what they are getting into. It isn't a nice, sanitized path of steel rings. There are some 'interesting' bits, some friable rock, and grovelly sections. I'm suprised 3 well-travelled and skilled climbers with loads of proud ascents between them which would put my poor climbing resume to shame gave the rock quality such a poor mark. Heck, I've been on worse rock than 99% of BTT at Piddington*.

The Good:
The position is amazing, the sheerness of the wall makes for much more exposed airy climbing than much of Bunny Bucket Buttress at a similar or easier level of difficulty. It is really cool to look up and see almost every meter of the route towering above from the start of P1. The 'Sea Of Choss' pitch is just that, but there are decent carrots spaced in a sane manner, probably some gear (I can't remember). The climber gets to be there and look around at this insane cliff face, a really unique experience and one I won't forget soon. The giant roof is cool too.

*Fair Warning - I did have a project I never finished at Piddington where I wanted to climb everything in the book 12 and under.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

18-May-2011
9:54:14 PM

On 18/05/2011 ajfclark wrote:
>I would've thought you'd start with zero and add them ;-)
>
>one for undergrading
>one for exposure
>one for good climbing

Good one ajf. I laughed at that first criteria for adding stars to a route!


vwills

18-May-2011
10:13:14 PM

On 18/05/2011 dfinnecy wrote:
>The Rostrum it ain't. I wouldn't call it 5 stars, 3 seems about right.

I might have given it 2 stars- one for location/view/experience and one for the roof pitch and the fact that you do get to place some trad....
I am not unappreciative of the huge effort gone into developing such a line.
>
>It is about expectations,

yes, and 5 stars mean I should be having a hotel californianesque/ experience. Vegetation, shale and snappage are par for the course at Pierces, but not 90% of the route.

I'm suprised>3 well-travelled and skilled climbers with loads of proud ascents between
>them which would put my poor climbing resume to shame gave the rock quality
>such a poor mark.

Flattery will get you places dfinnecy, but maybe thats the problem. We're spoilt. Other places I've multipitched in the last 12 months include Frenchmans, Cape Hauy, Organ Pipes, Mt Brown, Kaputar, Point Perp, Bungonia, Port Stephens, Wolgan, Grampians and Arapiles. In fact I had just returned from 6 days consecutive climbing at arapiles so perhaps my opinion of what constitutes fine rock is a little jaundiced. I think that although there are superb multipitch routes in the Blueys, as a generalisation rock quality isnt a strong point :)


vwills

18-May-2011
10:20:59 PM

On 18/05/2011 nmonteith wrote:
>I feel I've been a bit routinely disappointed with big trad routes in Australia
>in the last few years. I didn't think much of Chimes of Freedom - mossy,
>chossy and wet.

Now I quite liked that route though I know I shivered the whole way up in no visibility, and it was sleeting and/or raining half the day on us, and all the moss was wet. It wasnt chossy in the same way BTT was, because the rock was generally sound and on a wamer dry day it would rate highly. And it gets 2 stars for location straight up!

dfinnecy

19-May-2011
10:07:06 AM

>>Flattery will get you places dfinnecy, but maybe thats the problem. We're spoilt. Other >>places I've multipitched in the last 12 months include Frenchmans, Cape Hauy, Organ >>Pipes, Mt Brown, Kaputar, Point Perp, Bungonia, Port Stephens, Wolgan, Grampians >>and Arapiles.

Now you're just being mean, rubbing it in. :-)


nmonteith

19-May-2011
10:09:54 AM

...you forget Mt Cook Vanessa.


wallwombat

19-May-2011
11:25:42 AM

...and The Darrans.

One Day Hero

20-May-2011
6:17:34 PM

On 18/05/2011 nmonteith wrote:
>
>I just think a bit of truth in advertising needs to be applied.

Ummm.........tell us again about your awesome new routes at Tianjara?

There are 34 messages in this topic.